The invention relates generally to transport systems used when cutting articles from a blank of material, and is well suited for use in, though not limited to, transporting and cutting labels from a web material and applying them to items.
Cutting machines that cut (such as by laser or knife blade or die cut etc.) articles (such as labels or cards etc.) from a blank of material (such as a continuous web of material or sheets of material etc.) typically require that the cut article be immediately removed from the blank. This is because the cut article may fall free from the blank due to gravity or may become separated from the blank as the material travels through the system.
For example, machines that cut labels from a continuous web of material typically cut labels around preprinted designs on the web as the web material is advanced through a cutting assembly. The web material may include no adhesive, or may include either an active adhesive on one side together with a release liner, or a pressure sensitive or heat activatable adhesive on one side, the later generally being referred to as linerless web material.
Label cutting machines, however, that apply cut labels to items, must present each cut label to a moving item at a desired speed and frequency. Typically, the cut labels will be required to be spaced apart a significant distance for application to most items. This can be achieved in many ways. First, the labels could be cut from the web the same distance-apart as they will need to be spaced when applied to the items. This, however, is wasteful of web material. Second, the movement of the web could be intermittent such that the labels could be cut close to one another yet the time required to advance the web could be varied to be as slow or fast as necessary. Unfortunately, this is inefficient and introduces an increased chance of a label cut being misaligned. Third, labels, once cut close together, could be immediately transferred to a more rapidly moving conveyance that causes the labels to be further spaced from one another. This approach, however, is limited in that the handling of cut labels immediately after they are cut from the web is difficult with prior art techniques. This increases the chances of, among other things, inconsistent spacing of the labels as they are transferred to the more rapidly moving conveyance, particularly if the difference in speeds is great.
There is a need for an article transporting and cutting machine that is capable of efficiently and continuously cutting articles from a blank of material at any desired speed.